The new Leica D Summilux 25mm/F1.4 ASPH lens

Panasonic unveils the Leica D Summilux 25mm/F1.4 ASPH, an interchangeable lens for digital SLR cameras that comply with the Four Thirds System. The new lens is a bright, large-diameter F1.4 standard lens. It incorporates an aperture ring and is build with 10 lens elements in 9 groups, including a large-diameter aspherical lens, which assure a superb optical performance and F1.4 brightness, while one super ED (extra-low dispersion) lens and three ED lenses reduce color bleeding to an absolute minimum...

PRESS SUMMARY

Panasonic today introduced the second Leica interchangeable lens designed specifically for the digital SLR camera. The LEICA D SUMMILUX 25mm/F1.4 ASPH. complies with the Four Thirds System and will be available by April.

The new LEICA D SUMMILUX 25mm/F1.4 lens (35mm equivalent: 50mm) is a bright, large-diameter F1.4 standard lens. It incorporates an aperture ring and boasts as many as 10 lens elements in 9 groups, including a large-diameter aspherical lens, which assure a superb optical performance and F1.4 brightness, while one super ED (extra-low dispersion) lens and three ED lenses reduce color bleeding to an absolute minimum.

A large total of 10 lens elements in 9 groups, including a large-diameter aspherical lens, give this bright, standard F1.4 lens a superb optical performance. A large-diameter front lens ensures sufficient peripheral light levels, and a large-diameter front aspherical lens reduces light degradation all the way to the lens periphery. The result is high resolution and absolutely minimum lens distortion.

Aperture ring with a familiar, intuitive touchWhen the D SUMMILUX lens is used with the LUMIX DMC-L1 digital camera, the user has an aperture ring as well as a focus ring at his or her fingertips. These rings provide the same kind of easy, pleasant, intuitive operation people enjoy with the familiar film camera.

Minimum photographic distance of 38 cm for beautiful macro shootingUnlike the 50mm lenses used on conventional 35mm film cameras, the D SUMMILUX lens uses a floating focus that reduces minimum photographic distance to just 38 cm. In addition to the lens's high optical performance and low aberration, maximum photographic magnification of 0.17x (35mm equivalent), which combines with the F1.4 brightness allows beautiful macro shooting.

Circular aperture diaphragmSeven aperture blades create a rounded shape. This combines with the F1.4 brightness to produce a beautiful smoothness in out-of-focus areas at larger aperture.